Woman Of The Year Loretta Claiborne Credits Her Mother Rita Claiborne For The Successful Story

Loretta Claiborne mother Rita Claiborne is a single parent of seven children. Loretta was named USA TODAY Women of the Year 2023.

The 69-year-old was honored with the highly prestigious award for her unwavering dedication and contributions from the local level to the world stage.

The athlete currently serves as the Special Olympics Board Vice Chair and Chief Inspiration Officer. She is also the international spokesperson for Special Olympics.

Loretta was born on August 14, 1953, as one of the seven children of her parents. She faced several physical challenges while growing up. Claiborne had partial visual impairment and clubbed feet and had to undergo surgery to correct her feet.

At the age of 17, she participated in the Special Olympics of 1970 as a runner. She went on to win her first-ever medal as an athlete on the world stage.

Also check out famous American athletes who have competed in the Olympics including Jessie Diggins, and Scoot Moir.

The international spokesperson has made it to the list of the top 100 women finishers of the Boston Marathon twice. Her life story inspired a TV film titled The Loretta Claiborne in 2000.

Rita Raised Loretta On Her Own

Loretta Claiborne mother Rita Claiborne was a strong willed and proud mom of seven kids. Rita independently raised her family in Pennsylvania.

Discipline and mannerisms were of the utmost value for Mrs. Claiborne and that is what she taught her young ones since their childhood.

In an interview, Loretta said that they were not allowed to speak during the meal. Apart from that, her mom always had a positive outlook on the future ahead for her little ones.

She motivated and encouraged them to keep moving forward even if the world is telling them otherwise. This is one valuable lesson Rita imparted to her children. 

Loretta credits her mother as a source of inspiration and the foundation of her courage and determination. 

When Loretta was still in her mom’s womb, Rita stumbled and fell down a flight of stairs. This incident injured the unborn baby and eventually, Loretta was born with physical and intellectual disabilities.

In the 1950s, children with intellectual disabilities were often institutionalized and lived separately from society. The doctors advised Mrs. Claiborne to do the same for Loretta. However, the stubborn single mom was adamant about raising her fourth child in the family along with other kids.

Is Loretta Claiborne Married?

Loretta Claiborne married details have not been revealed in the media yet. The athlete is tight-lipped about her personal life.

The Special Olympics champion is an inspiration for many people. Her personal and professional journey is phenomenal. The whole world watched in awe.

However, when it comes to private affairs, the athlete likes to maintain a distance from the prying eyes of the media.

Furthermore, the decorated sportsperson doesn’t have any kids. According to the discussion portal titled, Answers Loretta is not married and doesn’t have any children.

Loretta Grew Up In A Big Family

Loretta has seven siblings inlcuding Stella Claiborne, Debbie Claiborne, Marlena Claiborne, and Hank Claiborne. Loretta is the fourth child in her household.

In an interview with Yahoo! Finance, the athlete said that her brother, Hank, paved the way for her in life and looked out for her in every step of life.

Sharing her experience, the athlete admitted that being raised in a big family is tough and it only gets tougher when one is differently abled.

She proudly said that her big brother was her eyes and he took her under his arms. He protected his little sister like a bodyguard.

The Claiborne had an evening family ritual where they discussed each other’s possible careers. This practice used to leave an uneasy feeling in Loretta.

Rita would talk to every child individually during the family bonding time. She encouraged Stella to choose her career as she desired since she was very talented.

Mrs. Claiborne was of the opinion that Debbie would make a good career if she chooses to be a lawyer or a doctor. Marlena who was the brightest among the kin was thought to be a leader one day.

However, when it came to Loretta, Rita always had a slight hesitation given her physical condition. But the young girl was excited by the thought of becoming an athlete, a nurse, or a veterinarian.

The athlete experienced a lot of sad memories while growing up. Her grandmother lost her life during a riot. Not long after that, she said her final goodbye to one of her cousins.

The Incredible Journey Of Loretta

The Loretta Claiborne Story is a made-for-TV movie from ABC. The sports drama was released on January 16, 2000.

The movie starred Kimberly Elise in the titular role. It was written by Grace McKeaney and directed by Lee Grant.

Furthermore, her life story was also broadcasted on the Authors on the Air Global Radio Network on April 17, 2021. The talk show was hosted by Tracy Blom.

The full-length interview with Claiborne is available on Soundcloud. The podcast run by Tracy is titled Books, Kids & Creations With Tracy Blom. 

In the show, the viewers get a chance to meet creative people of extraordinary caliber who inspire future generations with their work. It has included Olympic champions, NASA scientists, ballerinas, and many more.

In April 2021, Claiborne was a special guest on the podcast. She revealed that an unfortunate event caused her to be born with physical challenges. She was unable to walk until the age of 4.

Rita fell off a fleet of stairs when she was carrying Loretta in her stomach. This incident greatly affected the child’s physical and intellectual abilities.

Her Achievements

One of her proudest moments is competing in the Special Olympics in 1970. She recalls how a counselor at the shelter workshop suggested she join the sports event. 

Sharing more insight, she said that she felt exhausted during the training and wanted to quit immediately as she joined. When she returned home and told her mom that she wanted to quit sports, Rita said that if she quit that day she will always be quitting.

Fast forward to 2023, Loretta is one of the most successful and renowned people in the whole world. She is a highly decorated athlete who has competed in 26 marathons, a recipient of the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage at the 1996 ESPYS.

She has been awarded two honorary doctorate degrees. She was the speaker at TEDx Talk in 2012. She has had the honor of meeting three different presidents including Reagan, Bush, and Clinton.

Academy Award-winning actor Denzel Washington handed her the Arthur Ashe ESPY Courage Award in 1996. Furthermore, she became the first Special Olympics athlete to be elected to the Special Olympics International Board of Directors.

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